Australia reigns as Kuwait’s top choice for food supplies

• H.E. Melissa Kelly, the Australian Ambassador to Kuwait, affirmed that over the past fifty years, we have witnessed strengthened relations in the areas of food security, trade, investment, and education.

• “There is no better ambassador for Australian-Kuwaiti relations than Kuwaiti students who have had a rich and influential educational experience in Australia,” the Australian ambassador said.

• Over the past 22 years, over 1,400 Kuwaiti students have graduated from prestigious Australian universities, with hundreds more Kuwaitis choosing to study in Australia annually.

Tim Watts, Australia’s Assistant Foreign Minister, commended the strong bilateral relations between Australia and Kuwait, which began on July 1, 1974. He expressed pride in Australia’s support for Kuwait during the Iraqi invasion.

In a televised speech broadcast during the Australian Embassy’s celebration of graduates on Sunday at the Jumeirah Hotel, under the patronage of Sheikh Mubarak Al-Abdullah and in the presence of a large number of Australian university alumni, Watts addressed Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and the people of Kuwait on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australia and Kuwait.

He added that Australia has always been a preferred food supplier for Kuwait, strengthening food supply chains and providing Kuwaitis with the best quality ingredients to fill their plates and tables. He said, “You have probably already tasted the best that Australia has to offer, from the wheat used in your bread to the meat in Machboos.” These deep connections continue to grow.

Kuwaiti investments powering Australia’s clean energy transition

He pointed out that Kuwaiti investments in Australia support our transition to clean energy, citing investments in the Perry Bank Phase II wind farm and battery storage in my state of Victoria.

He expressed pride in Australian graduates and the hundreds of Kuwaiti students who earn international qualifications in Australia annually. He noted that this underpins broad cooperation between our universities and research institutions, particularly in scientific and medical research. These people-to-people ties foster enduring bonds between our two countries. “Long live Australian-Kuwaiti friendship.”

Over the past 22 years, over 1,400 Kuwaiti students have graduated from prestigious Australian universities, with hundreds more Kuwaitis choosing to study in Australia annually.

In turn, H.E. Melissa Kelly, the Australian Ambassador to Kuwait, affirmed that over the past fifty years, we have witnessed strengthened relations in the areas of food security, trade, investment, and education.

On the 50th anniversary of our bilateral relations, we celebrate Kuwaitis who are “Australians by degree,” having graduated from world-class Australian universities.

The ambassador added in her speech during the ceremony that there is no better ambassador for Australian-Kuwaiti relations than Kuwaiti students who have had a rich and influential educational experience in Australia.

“Your significant contributions have shaped both Australian and Kuwaiti society,” she told the graduates. “Your achievements extend beyond formal diplomatic relations and underscore the deep-rooted connections between our communities. They highlight the fundamental value of education for all, a value that we are immensely proud to share between Australia and Kuwait.”

The first Gulf royal fellow leads maritime innovation

During the ceremony, Captain Ali Ashour, a senior marine engineering officer in the Kuwaiti Coast Guard, shared his academic journey in the field. It started at the Marine Engineering Academy in Alexandria, followed by training as a cadet officer and naval service in the Mediterranean and Red Seas. Ali then pursued specialized training at Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Officers College in Kuwait, graduating as an engineering officer.

In 2015, he embarked on a transformative postgraduate journey at the Australian Maritime College in Tasmania. He became the first Gulf national to participate in an Australian industry-based marine engineering program, collaborating with organizations such as the Defense Science and Technology Group (DSTG), the Naval Engineering Bureau (NTB) in Canberra, and the Australian Defense Force Academy (ADFA).

Ashour’s pioneering research at the Australian Maritime College has earned him significant awards, including the 2018 Defense Researcher in Marine Engineering Award for his innovative naval structure designs.

Currently, Ali works as a researcher at BAE Systems in the UK, collaborating with the Pyrodynamics Research Center at the University of Strathclyde (PDRC).
He is recognized as the first Gulf Royal Fellow in prestigious institutions such as the Royal Institute of Naval Architects (RINA), where his experience in enhancing the guidance of classification bodies was pivotal for the IMO Technical Committee.

Recently, he was appointed to the Technical Advisory Board of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) and the Institution of Engineers Scotland (IES), advising the Scottish and UK Parliaments on critical technical innovation issues.